Photo of the Week – Jon Kral

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New Beginning After the Devastation of War

Jon Kral - Vietnam Street Scene After the War

Jon Kral – Vietnam Street Scene After the War

This week’s posting is a departure from our usual policy. It’s the first by a nonmember but helps to introduce our program for September with an example of Jon plying his trade as a photojournalist. It’s a street scene in Vietnam after the bombings and killings have ceased and portrays the determination of humanity to slowly repair the damage with a new beginning. This youngster is oblivious to it all and is utterly content. He’s fat and happy to discover his hands and feet the way the very young do all over the world.  It is surprising to see what appears to be a pearl in his young ear.  Jon says he never did see anyone who was responsible but obviously somebody nearby was keeping a sharp eye.
Thanks to Jon for sharing this classic image, again showing the power of a photograph to tell a compelling story.

Photo of the Week – Jay Wild

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Here You’re Very Likely to Meet a Pixie

Waterfall on US 221 Below Grandfather Mtn

Waterfall on US 221 Below Grandfather Mtn

There are images that grab at you and demand attention. Then there are those that issue an invitation to come in, sit a spell and share some hot jasmine tea. The air is cool and clear, the breeze light, the sunlight dappled, the flowing water softly sings and the rocks speak of eternity. One can taste this spot.
Over the top? Perhaps. But it’s one of the reasons we’re all photographers, hoping to capture such a mote speck of the planet in a way that excites the imagination and creates emotions that, however briefly, remove us from the politics and daily bombings shouted by the media and newspapers.
The scene is located off Hwy 221 at the foot of Grandfather, at the line dividing Caldwell and Watauga Counties. The stream is perhaps Green Mountain Creek. Jay’s camera was a Canon 7d fitted with an EFS-17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens with the focal length set to 17mm. The shutter was a very slow 30 seconds with an apeture of f/22 and an ISO of 100. He used a polarizing filter to damper the light reflections from the wet, sloped rock at the top of the falls. At such a slow shutter, obviously a tripod was necessary.